Mind, Body, and Soul
by Love In Vein
Summary: As Tyler waits for Ruby to return from a run, he contemplates his newfound feelings for her. Also some T/R interaction.


Title: Mind, Body, and Soul  
Author: Love in Vein  
Summary: As Tyler waits for Ruby to return from a run, he contemplates his newfound feelings for her. Also some T/R interaction.  
Disclaimer: Wolf Lake and all of its characters belong to Viacom, I think. In any case, they don't belong to me. But if they happen to be sellin' 'em off cheap, I'd take Tyler and tame him ;-)  
A/N: I wrote this mainly because I noticed that there was definitely a lack of non L/S fic in here (not that I don't absolutely *love* that 'ship!). There's a couple, sure, but not a huge bunch. I like the idea of T/R, they'd have cute puppies! Anyway, I was thinking of opening a Wolf Lake fanfic archive, but would like help. If anyone was interested in joining/helping me, my email addy is on my author page. Thanks! Now, on w/ the story!  
  
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Ruby was gone. Again. Tyler surveyed the empty, dark living room with a glower and a snarl. He knew she would be back this time, though. Vi had had quite the talk with his recalcitrant bride after her kidnapping at the hands of that buffoon. She wouldn't run beyond the borders of Wolf Lake if she valued her life or the life of John Kanin at all.   
  
Taking a seat in a black armchair, he lit a single lamp and removed a brown leather-bound book from a drawer in the end table. Something strange was happening to him lately. Something he wouldn't dare tell anyone. So a pen and paper was the obvious choice.  
  
*Tyler's Journal*  
  
What has made me feel this way? What exactly was the trigger? I've never wanted any woman this much before. So much that it frightens me. I would do anything for her, anything. I would give up everything in a heartbeat just for her to look at me with the love I know she feel for Kanin. Why the fuck Kanin and not me?   
  
He could never give her what I could; she could never be what she truly is with him. The glow could never be in her eyes, she would have to be gentle and perfect and human. I know that she is none of those things. Especially human. The wolf is too strong in her, the perfect mate for me. But I look into her eyes and I see that she despises me, wishes for all the world that I would disappear and never come back.  
  
Does she know that I would protect her from our own clan, from her own stepmother? I remember so clearly the first time I knew I really wanted her for my own, and how wrong I was to want her then. I wanted her for the wrong reasons, wanted her for her power and her place in this town. Hell, I wanted her that way up until our very wedding. But those vows, they did *something*. And seeing her tears, even with all of her stoic-ness she had tears. I think I cursed myself then, even though I smiled. I cursed myself because I'd hurt her and for once it gave me no pleasure. Then to feel her lips on mine for even that one second, they were so soft, so pliant. But I'd felt the coldness in them too.  
  
I never realized up until that moment in our bed that she would have me dead, just to be free. Well, that's not exactly true. I wasn't *that* blind. But the fact that her warm little hands were on my body and her eyes flickered with what I thought was desire pretty much nullified any rational thought. I still think she wanted me at least in some small way, if her scent was any indication.  
  
Then she was gone. I searched for her myself that entire night, after I had caught her scent by Kanin's rental. But her scent disappeared by the road and I panicked. My only thought was 'How could I have lost her again?' It scared me more that I ever thought possible.  
  
Facing Vi wasn't a whole lot of fun either. I rubbed our affair in her face, which wasn't the best idea, but I've never been one for subtlety. I tried so hard to hide my feeling for Ruby from her, but I knew that that was pretty much impossible. That woman isn't the Alpha for nothing. She called me 'love-sick' and you know what, it's true. I'm sick! This isn't me! I don't have a protective bone in my entire body! It's kill or be killed in this fucking town, and I'm the predator, not the prey. There's no way that Ruby Cates...Creed, I mean, is going to stop me from my ultimate goal. There's no way that some little bitch princess is going to snake her way into my heart and make me care about anything but the power.  
  
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Tyler looked up from his leather-bound journal when he heard Ruby trotting through the woods behind their home towards the back door. She had actually come home. A slow, almost predatory smile spread across his handsome but cruel face. He got up and walked to the kitchen and stood with deceptive patience in front of the refrigerator and leaned against. He was directly facing the back door.  
  
Ruby walked in quietly and shut the door behind her. "Back so soon?" Tyler asked sarcastically.  
  
She whirled around and her eyes shimmered gold. "Waiting up for me, *darling*?" she shot back.  
  
"Always, sweetheart. You know I worry," he replied with a smirk and slid up to her, too closely. He lifted a hand to touch her face and she smacked it roughly, a feminine growl low in her throat.  
  
"A growl? Ruby, I'm hurt," Tyler said with a strange mixture of mock and real hurt.  
  
The room grew quiet and uncomfortable for a few long moments.   
  
"Tyler, what do you want?" Ruby finally sighed.  
  
"You know what I want, Ruby," he purred and brushed his lips across hers.  
  
She yipped and stepped back, slamming her back against the door.   
  
"Don't fight it, baby. Sooner or later you won't be able to control that wolf in you and I'll be right there," he said, his voice rumbling low and dark.  
  
Ruby fumbled for the doorknob but Tyler just laid his hand surprisingly gently over hers. "Don't fight it," he whispered again and captured her lips as softly as he could.  
  
She pushed against his chest firmly, breaking the kiss. "Tyler, I can't..."  
  
"Yes, you can," he growled and kissed her again, more forcefully.  
  
Ruby broke away again. "But I don't..."  
  
Tyler silenced her with a soft nip of her bottom lip. He looked deep into her eyes. "I don't care what you feel, I know what you *need*. Let me give it to you," he said softly, seductively.  
  
She made a little sound and pushed him back harshly, running into 'her' room, actually the guestroom, and slamming the door. He heard the lock click and a whine of disappointment came unbidden from his throat. But even so, he could feel the walls she kept between them crumbling and inside his wolf howled for joy. His mood lightened and he smirked.   
  
She would be his, mind, body, and soul, sooner or later. 


End file.
